Maneuverable jet-propelled tethered flight toy



1969 J. G. THURSTON 3,421,253

MANEUVERABLE JET- PROPELLED TETHERED FLIGHT TOY Filed June 14, 1965 F/G.l

INVEN O United States Patent Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy is moved by reactive forces created by discharging a fluid through a nozzle of a power pack which removably supports a body simulating an object to be flown in space and which is flexibly connected to a substantially rigid fluid conduit that extends outwardly from a hand operated fluid control valve mechanism. Further tethered control of the movements of the object being simulatedly flown in space is undertaken both directly by movement of the rigid fluid conduit and indirectly by tilting the power pack and its nozzle relative to the supporting fluid conduit structure upon hand operation of a linkage extending from the power pack to the proximity of the hand operated fluid control valve mechanism.

My invention is directed toward toys and more particularly is directed toward toys adapted for movement in three dimensions.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved toy of the character indicated which is moved by water pressure in a manner selectively controlled by an operator.

Another object is to provide a new and improved toy of the character indicated which can be caused to fly over a path which can' be varied at will by the operator.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved toy of the character indicated which can be easily manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of my invention will now be explained with reference both to this specification and to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a view taken through 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, one end of a flexible hose 6 threadedly engages the base 20 of a pistol shaped handle 10. The barrel 22 of handle 10 threadedly engages the first of four plastic hollow tube sections 14 threadedly joined end to end. Handle 10 is hollow and contains a hollow plastic tube 11 connected between hose 6 and the first section 14. A spring loaded valve 12 is interposed in the middle portion of tube 11 and is controlled by trigger 13 pivotally secured to handle 10.

The end of the last of sections 14 remote from handle 10 engages a flexible coupling 3 on a hollow vertical plastic member 15 serving as a removable power pack. A second hollow tube 16 in member 15 connects coupling 3 to a nozzle 1 in the bottom of member 15. Nozzle -1 contains spray creating means 2.

3,421,253 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 ice The side of power pack member 15 remote from coupling 3 contains a clip 14' which can be detachably secured to a suitable plastic hollow or inflatable model or doll such as spaceman 17.

A vertical plate 4 extends upward from the top of power pack member 15. Plate 4 contains a plurality of vertically spaced holes 5. An elongated rod 19 having a ball shaped handle 23 is pivotally connected at its other end by means 18 to one or another of holes 5.

In use, the other end of hose 6 is connected to a suitable source of water as for example by means of a faucet (not shown). With trigger 13 in the position shown, valve 12 is closed and no water flows in tube 11. When the trigger is pulled the valve is opened to an extent determined by the pull on the trigger and more or less water flows through tube 11, sections 14, tube 16 and downward out of nozzle 1 in the form of a spray or jet of water 26. The density of the spray is dependent on the volume of water flowing through valve 12 which thereafter flows through and around spray creating means 2.

The force of the power pack jet lifts the body or model 17 into the air. When handle 23 is pulled or pushed to- :ward the user or away from the user, the model is inclined to move toward or away from the user. By swinging handle 23 in a clockwise or counter clockwise arc, power pack member 15 can be rotated accordingly, and model 17 can be likewise rotated accordingly. By swinging handle 23 up or down additional control of the flight path can be obtained.

It will be seen that my toy is light in weight, durable, and can be easily used by operators of almost any age. It is easily assembled and taken apart; it has a minimum number of parts; and it requires little or no maintenance.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, my protection is to be limited only by the terms of the claim which follows.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A maneuverable water jet-propelled toy adapted for tethered flight when controlled by a child, comprising a body simulating an object to be flown in space: a removable power pack secured to the said body, having an internal fluid passageway, a spray nozzle secured to one end of said power pack at one terminus of said passageway, a hollow flexible interconnector secured to said power pack at the other terminus of said passageway thereby continuing the length of the passageway, and a multiple place attachment means spaced from the said hollow flexible interconnector, said multiple place attachment means comprising a vertical plate secured to the other end of said power pack and extending therefrom in a direction opposite that of the discharge of said spray nozzle, said plate having a plurality of holes along the length thereof; a substantially rigid fluid conduit secured to the hollow flexible interconnector and extended to a radial distance of a selected tethered flight pattern; an adjustable control valve secured to the fluid conduit to control the amount of fluid flowing into the conduit and having a fitting adapted for connection to a fluid supply system; and a substantially rigid control rod selectively connected to one of said holes in said multiple place attachment means on said power pack and extended in 3 like direction and length with said fluid conduit to be conveniently moved at this adjustable valve control location to control the axial position of said power pack and its spray nozzle relative to the position of the said fluid conduit by pivoting said power pack about said flexible interconnector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1956 Chika 46-77 10 4 Rickards. Melin 4641 Stanzel 4677 Smith 4677 Sullivan 4677 XR LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

S. NATTER, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

